Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

]. However, since the plant can still be obtained under this name, and such plants are likely to be different, and possibly superior forms for use as a food rather than ornamental crop, the name has been retained here for the time being[

General Information

Canna edulis is an erect, herbaceous, perennial plant producing clumps of stems up to 3 metres tall with large leaves up to 60cm long and 18cm wide. The stems arise from a very large, thick and tuber-like rhizome[

A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/

].

Properties

Weed Potential

Yes

Edibility Rating

Other Uses Rating

Habit

Perennial

Height

2.50 m

Pollinators

Hummingbirds

Cultivation Status

Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Canna edulis is a plant of higher elevations in the tropics, ascending to around 2,900 metres. It is very amenable to cultivation in the subtropics and can also be grown outdoors as a summer bedding plant in warmer regions of the temperate zone. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 9 - 32°c[

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

]. The arrowroot is obtained by rasping the root to a pulp, then washing and straining to get rid of the fibres[

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The starch from the roots is sometimes used as a laundry starch or for sizing[

An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.

].

Propagation

Seed - the different species in this genus often hybridize and so seed cannot be relied upon to breed true. If growing from seed, pre-soak for 24 hours in warm water and sow in the seeds in late winter/early spring, 2 - 5cm deep in individual pots in light shade in a greenhouse at 20°c[

]. Scarifying the seed by carefully removing a small part of the outer shell (being careful not to harm the seed itself), to enable it to imbibe water can speed germination, especially if the seed has not swollen after being soaked[

]. Grow the plants on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division of the root clump as the plant comes into growth in the spring. Each portion must have at least one growing point. Pot up the divisions and grow them on in the greenhouse until they are well established and then plant them out in the summer.
Root cuttings.

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